From Francis Nansak Lafia
Although the World HIV/AIDS Day was marked a day later in Nasarawa state, the state Management Institute for Human Virology Nigeria headed by Dr Yakubu Sambo, has disclosed that Nasarawa state has about zero per cent prevent rate in the fight again the virus,.
Dr Yakubu made the disclosure in his office in Lafia on Wednesday, after a symposium and award at the Ta’al Conference Hotel.
He said IHVN in collaboration with the Nasarawa state government and NASACA is working hard towards achieving the HIV goals of 95,95,95 ,which holds strongly that 95% are tested and know their status and are place on treatment and the 95% on treatment are virally suppressed.
He said” this target is so because the prevalent rate now in Nasarawa state is 2% so we are at the brink of achieving epidemic control in the state” Said.
According to Dr Yakubu Sambo, the major activities of the Institute for Human Virology Nigeria in Nasarawa state for this year has been centred more on creating sensitization, which had the involvement of some critical stakeholders in the state, that included the traditional rulers.
He added that a road walk from the state ministry of health to the venue of the symposium was aimed at creating awareness, pointing out a very important aspect of the event which was the posthumous award to the pioneer leader of NEPWA, late Alex Kuje.
He further explained that by the end of October, IHVN had placed about 53,878 patients on treatment and that out of the numbers , about 84 per cent of them have had the pre-test on viral load.
“One of the goals of HIV treatment is to see that the virus in the patient is finally suppressed, so out of the 84 per cent that we have offered the viral load,92 per cent have achieved viral suppression.
“And just in the month of October, about 1466 patient were found after being diagnosed and have been placed on treatment, ” he concluded.
Earlier, the commissioner for health, Pharmacist Ahmed Yahaya said Nasarawa state government targets to reduce the prevalent of HIV/ AIDS through consistent partnership with donor agencies and others that will help fight the epidemic.
He said the administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule takes seriously the issue of health care services delivery, hence the completion of the Diagnostic and Research centre in Lafia which was commissioned by the vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
According to him, since the resumed of duty of the governor, there have been successes recorded in tackling the source from 12 per cent prevalent rate to as low as 2 per cent.
